


forever can never be long enough for me

by AlainaCorrigan



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 13:47:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12191115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlainaCorrigan/pseuds/AlainaCorrigan
Summary: Connor's thought about Jack a lot. Makes sense considering they've been dating for 4 years.





	forever can never be long enough for me

**Author's Note:**

> if you got here by googling yourself or someone you know, turn back now.
> 
> I wanted to write fluff and I've been in a wedding-ish mood lately so.....this happened. whoops

Connor’s thought about Jack a lot. Makes sense considering they’ve been dating for a while. 4 years actually. It’s not been the easiest, spending most of the season apart and snatching nights together when the schedule lines up right. The All Star Game is typically the greatest part of the season, a weekend with Jack with minimal interruption. Of course the bye-week is also a gift. One whole week with Jack in Edmonton or him in Buffalo. Except the years when their bye-weeks line up and they can take a vacation together. Those years were particularly nice.

But Connor’s digressing. He loves spending time with Jack, talking with Jack, playing with Jack. Even when playing together means that they’re in different jerseys but on the same ice. Connor doesn’t want to say his life revolves around Jack, but it’s damn near close. Connor’s been a last minute scratch for a game once or twice because something happened with Jack and he needed to be with him. In those moments, his heart sunk in his chest and he had a one-track mind: get to Jack. It’s almost scary how much Connor cares for Jack and how willing he is to rush off to Jack’s side. At one point in time, Connor would have told you that was ridiculous and he and Jack would never be that close. Jack was stubborn, still is honestly, but he was crazy stubborn and so was Connor. They were nice to each other, they were friends. But they were both so fed up with the media attention and the “rivalry” they just ended up not talking much. It took them a little bit to be comfortable with each other, to want to be around each other. 

Now though, Connor can’t imagine his life without Jack. It’s crazy to think, but after a year of dancing around each other and then four years of dating, Connor can’t fathom what his life would be like without Jack. Summers split between Boston and Toronto, seasons spent trying to see each other as much as possible, the constant chirps and shit-giving. That’s Connor’s life now. And honestly, he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Which is why he has a ring box in his pocket. It holds two simple bands of silver, nothing too flashy. For as much as Jack acts like a diva, he’s not a flashy person. He’s still the dork who will ride a tandem bike for fun, who has unruly curly hair, and chirps everything and anything in sight. Jack may act like a diva, but he’s a dork who likes simple things. More importantly he’s Connor’s dork and hopefully, he’ll agree to be Connor’s dork forever.

The ring box feels heavy in his pocket. Connor knows its discreet, had double checked that it wouldn’t be obvious in his pocket. Jack’s way too observant for that. So it’s a thin box that is barely noticeable. Connor’s going to keep it in his pocket all the way up to the cabin. He and Jack are driving up there, a few days before the rest of Connor’s family to have a couple days alone. Connor’s also planned for Jack’s family to come and surprise him. Connor’s proposing tonight and then they’ll have a couple days to get the celebratory sex out of the way before the families arrive. 

It’s a plan. It’s a well-laid plan. And if everything goes right, Connor should be getting laid tonight. He chuckles to himself, trying to relax. Jack knows what it means when Connor’s shoulders are hunched, when he’s folding in on himself to make himself smaller. It’d be a dead giveaway that something’s up. So Connor takes a breath, drops his shoulders and tries to appear casual. 

“We’ll be at the cottage soon enough Con, relax please,” Jack says as he steps behind him, massaging his shoulders. “Jeez, you feel so tense. How about I drive? Sit back and just enjoy the view. Watch sprawling GTA suburbia fade away into lake country,” Jack suggests. Connor nods, swallowing any words that may give away what he’s hiding.

They climb into the car and hit the road. Jack’s right of course, the closer to the lake they get the calmer Connor gets. The farther away from the city, the more comfortable things are between the two of them. Connor’s still very much so in his head, watching the trees pass by in a blur and wondering if he’s doing the right thing, if it’s the right time.

Connor feels pressure on his leg and shakes out of his trance to see Jack’s hand resting there, palm up. Connor laces his fingers through Jack’s and smiles at him. Jack’s face looks less tense and pinched, more relaxed and happy and Connor knows he is doing the right thing. There’s no other face he could imagine looking at for the rest of his life, no other person he could imagine spending time with. Not like this, the two of them together going to the cottage and just being. 

The sun is dipping below the trees, reflecting red and orange against the lake by the time they reach the cabin. It’s gorgeous, and by the time the car is unpacked the sky is a colorful display of oranges fading to purple and blue. They’d grabbed dinner on the road so Connor just grabs Jack’s hand and drags him to the dock. It’s a gorgeous night and there’s no reason to not take advantage of it. 

They sit on the dock, leaning into each other for a while. They don’t need to say anything and the silence is comfortable. Connor dips his feet into the lake, loving the cool feeling of the water after a hot day in the car. He and Jack rest into each other, sitting for awhile.

Then Connor shifts and grabs the ring box out of his pocket. There’s no time like the present and sitting here with Jack reminds him why he went out to buy rings in the first place.

“Hey, Jack. I’ve got an important question for you,” Connor says softly not wanting to completely disrupt the peace. He waits until Jack’s lifted his head and meets his eyes to start speaking, “I know we’re still young and the world is still a fucked-up place, but it would be a lot harder to get through if I didn’t have you. You make everything better, you make me better and I love you so much. I can’t imagine another day without you so Jack Eichel, will you marry me?” Connor asks, bringing the open ring box into view.

Jack’s looking at the ring box with his jaw dropped. “How...when did you get these?” he asks, breathless. 

“A few months ago. I just, it felt right. Half the things I do, I wouldn’t be able to without you by my side. Whether you’re physically there or supporting me from afar, I need you by my side. So, what do you say?” 

Jack is still staring at the rings, trying to wrap his head around this. There are rings in front of him and his brain is just...short-circuiting. He knows he wants this, it’s just shocking that it’s actually happening. But Connor’s looking at him, eyes wide and expectant. So he takes a deep breath and says, “Yes. I’ll marry you Connor McDavid.” Because in the end, that’s what Jack wants. It’s what he’s wanted for a while. And for once in his life, Jack isn’t scared that the universe is going to pull the rug out from under him and take this away. This is his, he and Connor are going to be married one day and they will face this crazy, messed up world together. And as Jack leans in to kiss Connor all he can think is _finally_.


End file.
